Courtesy: ESPN
ESPN has released its complete schedule for the upcoming 2013-2014 NFL season. The network kicks off a brand new season with a double header on Monday, September 9th. First up that night, the Eagles head to the nation’s capitol with a new head coach and potentially a new QB at the line. Michael Vick is still stating that he will be the team’s lead man when the regular season opens September 9th. But that could very well change between now and then. And the Redskins’ QB, Robert Griffin III will look to rebound in big fashion after a season ending injury during the 2012-2013 Season. The NFC East Divisional matchup is expected to start at 7pm EST/6pm CT.
Second up on the season’s opening night, the Texans host the San Diego Chargers, who will also have a new coach on the sidelines. Mike McCoy took the helm after Norv turner was released at the end of the Chargers’ 2012-2013 Season. The Chargers and Texans both have a lot to play for and to prove on opening night. The Texans were knocked out of the playoffs early last season, while the Chargers didn’t even make it in, having finished their season 2nd in the AFC West with a disappointing 7-9-0 record. So the night’s second game looks to have its own share of fireworks. The night’s second matchup is scheduled to start at 10:15pm EST/9:15pm CT.
Week Two of ESPN’s Monday Night Football coverage is sure to be quite the showdown as “Big Ben” Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Pirates make the annual trip to Cincinnati to face off against Andy Dalton and the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals pulled off a shocker last season, beating their hated rivals to earn a spot in the Wildcard Round. But the team’s season would end in that round as this time the Texans would go on to knock them out of the playoffs with a 19-13 win. The season before, it was the Jets that knocked the Bengals from the playoffs. So Cincy’s hoping that the third time will be the charm, and that they’ll have fans yelling “Who Dey” even more this coming season. And it all starts with a chance for the Cats to start it all with a win over their divisional rivals. The game is scheduled to air at 8:30pm EST/7:30pm CT.
Week Three of Monday Night Football features yet another divisional matchup. Veteran QB Peyton Manning leads the Broncos as they host Matt Flynn and the Oakland Raiders on September 23rd. the game marks an NFL Record. It marks the seventeenth time that the AFC West rivals will go head to head under the Monday night lights. The Broncos come in to the 2012-2013 season with a lot of momentum despite a tough double overtime loss to the Ravens in the Divisional round of the playoffs last season. The Raiders on the other side of the line finished a miserable 4-12-0 last season, ending up 3rd in the AFC West. This game is scheduled to air at 8:30pm EST/7:30pm CT, as with the previous week’s game.
The remaining Monday Night Football games look to be just as impressive as those that fill the season’s first month. A full rundown of ESPN’s Monday Night Football schedule is available below.
ESPN’s 2013 Monday Night Football Schedule
| Preseason | ||
| Date | Time (ET) | Teams |
| Aug. 8 | 8 p.m. | Cincinnati Bengals vs. Atlanta Falcons |
| Aug. 15 | 8 p.m. | San Diego Chargers vs. Chicago Bears |
| Aug. 19 | 8 p.m. | Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Washington Redskins |
| Aug. 22 | 8 p.m. | Carolina Panthers vs. Baltimore Ravens |
| Regular Season | ||
| Sept. 9 | 7 p.m. | Philadelphia Eagles vs. Washington Redskins |
| 10:15 p.m. | Houston Texans vs. San Diego Chargers | |
| Sept. 16 | 8:30 p.m. | Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals |
| Sept. 23 | 8:30 p.m. | Oakland Raiders vs. Denver Broncos |
| Sept. 30 | 8:30 p.m. | Miami Dolphins vs. New Orleans Saints |
| Oct. 7 | 8:30 p.m. | New York Jets vs. Atlanta Falcons |
| Oct. 14 | 8:30 p.m. | Indianapolis Colts vs. San Diego Chargers |
| Oct. 21 | 8:30 p.m. | Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Giants |
| Oct. 28 | 8:30 p.m. | Seattle Seahawks vs. St. Louis Rams |
| Nov. 4 | 8:30 p.m. | Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers |
| Nov. 11 | 8:30 p.m. | Miami Dolphins vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Nov. 18 | 8:30 p.m. | New England Patriots vs. Carolina Panthers |
| Nov. 25 | 8:30 p.m. | San Francisco 49ers vs. Washington Redskins |
| Dec. 2 | 8:30 p.m. | New Orleans Saints vs. Seattle Seahawks |
| Dec. 9 | 8:30 p.m. | Dallas Cowboys vs. Chicago Bears |
| Dec. 16 | 8:30 p.m. | Baltimore Ravens vs. Detroit Lions |
| Dec. 23 | 8:30 p.m. | Atlanta Falcons vs. San Francisco 49ers |
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